Cat and Mouse
by PaperElf
Summary: Bella didn't die in the battle of Hogwarts and was instead captured by aurors' but she escaped. Harry and Hermione grow restless after the war: the battle's aftermath haunt them and their everyday lifes seem suffocating. They think Bellatrix's hunt might be a good way out: that is, until they cach her. Warnings will be stated (if they exist) in each chapter. Eventual Bellamione.
1. Prologue

Hey guys!

I know i've been missing for the last few weeks,but now i'm once again here with a new fanfic. I really hope you enjoy it!


	2. After the battle

Chapter 1

They stood there, outside the headmaster's office, tired and smiling and with dirt covering their faces and clothes: the golden trio, the newest heroes of the wizarding world' just three kids, who wanted to go to sleep and have tonight be just a dream.

"Ok" Ron was the first one to break the silence. "I have to go back... they need me right now. Are you two gonna be ok?"

"Yes." Hermione reassured him, gently tapping his shoulder. "Are you?"

"Sure. I'll see you later." he forced a smile and left them alone.

"Mione i thing we should get off too' i'd kill for a few hours of sleep." Harry's always messy hair were now completely out of control, amd he had huge bags under his eyes. "Shall we?"

"Yeah." the girl yawned as she followed him in the empty, destructed hall' but, before they even reached the Gryffindor dorm, a ministry employee stopped them.

"Have you seen Bellatrix Lestrange?" his face was red and sweaty, and he was looking at the kids with desparation. "Oh..." his expresion shifted the moment he regognized the two in front of him. "I'm sorry... mr Potter... mrs Granger..."

"Don't worry about it." she smiled. "No, we didn't see her. But Lestrange was killed. By mrs Weasley..."

"We thought so too, until we caught her running outside the castle, screaming like the crazy bitch she is." he sighed. "The Bellatrix Weasley killed was an imposter' her husband, under the effect of polyjuice potion. The real one had taken an inoccent muggles form, and was ordered to spread chaos, to kill as many people as she could. We caught her, but... we turned our backs for three seconds..."

"Well, good luck." Harry cut him, as nicely as he could. "We'll call you if we see anything."

"Thank you." the man nodded. "There are aurors guarding each dorm' go straight to yours and you'll be safe. Good night." and, with his last words, the man walked past them.

"That's bad." Harry murmured. "Very bad."

"I can't worry about Bellatrix right now." Hermione's eyes were closing and her whole body was aching with exaustion. "I just want to sleep."

"You're right."

"And maybe... maybe... when we wake up... someone will come to tell us she's finally locked up in Azcaban again." she wished loudly.

"Maybe." Harry forced a smile.

They finally were standing outside the fat lady's portrait. They got in, wished each other goodnight and went their separate ways.

"Finally", the girl murmured as she entered the girl's room. "Finally" she said, a little louder now, causing Parvati's head to turn. "Oh god..." she wishpered, as she lied on her bed - her bed, the one she slept in for the better part of every year since she was eleven years old, the one she hadn't laid on since last spring. Everything looked so familian, yet so sureal' from moment to moment she expected to wake up in her uncomfortable bunk bed, in the freezing cold tent, realizing it was all just a dream. But as her hands touched the clean sheets and her cheek the soft pillow she knew: all this was real. She was back. She could now sleep in peace, in her old room, like nothing had changed. She could close her eyes and deal with the real world tommorow, instead of having her worries and fears follow her even in her sleep. Because here, at Hogwarts, she felt safe.

But was she?

She growned and turned around. She had to admit it to herself' the idea of Bellatrix Lestrange roaming down the halls, looking to kill her and every other muggleborn -no, to her it was mudblood- student made her shiver in fear. She knew she was the madwoman's main target, ever since she imitated her at Gringots. She couldn't sleep now'she kept glancing the closed door, waiting for the Death Eater to open it. She could almost see her there, standing on the doorstep, wearing her sick, sick grin. "Missed me muddy?" The idea alone scared her and angered her equally: hadn't she done enough? Why couldn't she leave her alone for once, to enjoy her sleep, after a year of half-sleeping in the eerie quiet forests and lakes they hid in? Why couldn't she have the decemcy of returning to her old shell and rot unnotised? Why did she have to still chase her?

A knock made her jump up and grab her wand. "Who's there?" her voice, even though she tried to make it brave, craked in the middle of her sentence.

"It's me." she could regognise Harry's voice everywhere. "I couldn't sleep."

She went to open the door with a sigh of relief' but, midways, she froze. Yeah, she thought the voice was Harry's' but who knew if she was right? She tightened her grip on her wand and asked, in a loud and clear voice.

"What did Harry say to me when we had sex at our tent for the next time?" Sick, but smart' Bellatrix would have likely fallen for this.

"What? What sex Mione? That's gross, come on now, let me in." he sounded weirded out.

"What did we do when Ron left? That night, i was sad and you cheered me up. How?"

"We danced." he didn't even hesitated. "We danced to that stupid Selestina song on the radio and you laughed when i twirled you around." He stopped to take a breath. "Come on Mione, it's freezing out there! The war is over'i don't know why you're that scared, still! I mean, we're at Hogwarts! We're not in damger anymore!"

Classic Harry behavior: even though he had come far and learned to care for his and other's security, he sometimes still reminded her of the hot-headed boy she met at Hogwarts Express their very first day. "You think we're safe because the war's over?" she scolded him, opening the door. "Death Eaters are still all over the place and Voldemort's most loyal deputy is roaming free around Hogwarts! And, just so you know, most of them would die to kill you!"

"I know" the boy lowered his head. "It's just... i just wanna go to sleep, for once, without anyone hunting me down. Is it too much to ask?"

She felt bad, seeing him so vulnerable and sad' poor Harry, she thought, if she felt unlucky and struck by her fate for being a muggleborn, she couldn't even begin to imagine how he was coping. "Come on in" her voice was softer now, "Laventer's bed is emty."

"I don't want to sleep in her bed" Harry's gaze was sad as he was staring at his dead classmate's things. "I btought a sleeping bag' i'll probably settle..."

"Share my bed then" the girl make him some space as she lied down again. "Come on' you just won the Dark Lord. You deserve a good nightxs rest."

The boy simply nodded and snuck next to her. A friend's precence was at last enough to put Hermione to sleep.


End file.
